The Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) of 1997 offers some corrective measures on the gaps left by the Local Government Code (LGC) of the Philippines as far as agricultural research and extension delivery is concerned.
AFMA involves the state colleges and universities (SCUs) in agricultural extension. It mandates the SCUs to assist the LGUs by improving their effectiveness and efficiency in extension delivery through capability-building and complementary extension activities. These include technical assistance, training of LGU extension personnel, improvement of physical facilities, and extension cum research and information support services. It also provides for the "development of national extension system that will help accelerate the transformation of Philippine agriculture and fisheries from a resource-based to a technology-based industry." It attempts to pursue this by defining the roles and encouraging the participation of the LGUs, SCUs and private sector in agricultural extension.
Private sector contribution is encouraged especially the participation of farmers and fisher folk cooperatives and associations and others in the private sector in training and other complementary extension services especially in community organizing, use of participatory approaches, popularization of training materials, regenerative agricultural technologies, agri-business and management skills (Saliot 2006).
Article by: D. Medrana, 2008
References:
Saliot, Asterio P. 2006. Philippine Agriculture and Fishery Extension System: Lessons Learned and the Way Forward after Fifteen Years of Devolution. A presentation material at the 15th UP Diliman Governance Forum held on October 19, 2006.
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